Rakes and other similar implements used for lawn and land management activities, while often simple to operate, reliable, and reasonably inexpensive, are often more bulky than desirable. For example, in order to be durable, reliable, and practical, rake handles are typically too long to be stored in small spaces such as backpacks and luggage. As a result, rakes are not easily carried on hiking and camping excursions where they might be needed a considerable distance from the automobile which has transported them.
Not only is a conventional handle an impediment to portability and stowability or storability in small spaces such backpacks, but the frames to which the prongs or tines are attached are also too large to be conveniently carried in small spaces.
Several prior art approaches have addressed the desire to make lawn or camp rakes collapsible in some manner-all with noticeable drawbacks. For example, some prior art rakes have tines which are “fanned out” or spread like a hand fan into a predetermined position for raking activities, and “fanned in” when the rake is to be stored. Once “fanned in,” the tines are typically retracted into the interior of a hollow rake handle. As a result, the minimum practical handle length needed to accept the tines and the additional length often needed to accommodate rods or other mechanisms, make these rakes too long for small space storage-even when the handles are collapsible. Such rakes are often complex and expensive. Examples of the aforementioned approach appear in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,720,159; 5,414,982; 4,843,667; 4,236,742; 4,086,750; 3,750,379 and 3,727,389.
Other approaches separate the tines into two sections, and then axially rotate the tines around the handle centerline to place the rakes into a storage configuration. This provides not only a large height (measured from the tip of the tines to the end of the handle), but also leaves a large projected side area. Typical of this approach are U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,370,857, 6,101,799 and 5,440,868.
Yet other approaches are also inadequate, including those disclosed by the U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,408,606, 5,598,691, 4,848,073, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2004/0088962.
What is therefore needed but absent in the prior art, is a rake with conventional sized tines, tine frames (to which the tines are attached) and handle, which rake is collapsible to a small enough height and side projection to be accommodated by the likes of a backpack.